ANTLR Interactive, LLC

Does my business really need an app?

Does my business really need an app? This is definitely a question that a lot of business owners ask themselves. We’ve seen it a lot while working with our clients. Sometimes it is a pretty obvious “Yes”. More often is a pretty murky “Maybe”.

The positive of this situation is that today’s technology allows for small businesses to easily and cheaply build a mobile app. Building a mobile app in today’s world is easier than ever!

There are four questions you should ask yourself before you decide to build a mobile app for your business. Those questions are as follows:

Would it be beneficial to have 24/7 access to my customer’s ear?

Is there an aspect of the app that would draw customers into the app on a somewhat frequent basis?

By reviewing the answer to these four questions, you’ll be able to fully understand if building a mobile app for your small business is the right decision.

Would it be beneficial to have 24/7 access to my customer’s ear?

One of the biggest benefits of building a customer-facing mobile app is the fact that you have access to them 24/7. Want to push a new sale to drive sales during Black Friday? Done. Problem solved with push notifications. Do your customers have frequent questions or complaints? Done. An in-app chat feature would allow you to instantly respond to any questions or complaints without them needing to go to your website or facebook.

The sky is the limit when considering how having access to your customers 24/7 could impact your business.

Is there an aspect of an app that would draw customers into the app on a somewhat frequent basis?

This is one of the most important questions that you must ask yourself. We’ve seen apps that lack in this category go out of business after a few months of their app being live. If the mobile app that your small business wants to make does not have a natural draw, e.g. something that makes users come back for more, then the long term success of the app is in jeopardy.

One of the biggest ways to draw customers into using the app is through social engagement. Consider any type of social interaction that could be done through your app. Another thing to consider would be promotions or special giveaways through the app. You’ll need to figure out a creative way to answer this question but figuring out the answer is key to the success of your app.

Could your customers benefit from having a mobile app?

A big question that small businesses miss is whether or not it will actually benefit their customers. Try to think out of the box on this question. One of the biggest benefits is having constant contact with your customers but if you think out of the box, a few interesting opportunities present themselves.

One example of thinking out of the box would be a feature which enables features based on the location of the user. Maybe the user is in one of your stores. This could enable them to purchase a product via their device rather than finding the product in the store.

Another example of thinking out of the box would be a feature which utilizes QR codes. The QR code could be read in the app and bring up relevant information and reviews of the product. This would keep them in our ecosystem rather than a competitors.

The opportunities are endless when it comes to how a customer could benefit from a mobile app. Think creatively.

This question is one that is heavily missed but should be considered the most. Maybe you’re thinking about building a mobile app that isn’t client facing at all. Your app idea is more of a productivity tool for your staff. This allows for an unlimited amount of ROI for your business. It could save your employees time, standardize your data, or even just improve overall job satisfaction.

ROI should be your focus

At the end of the day, ROI should be your focus. The whole point of building a mobile app isn’t to just build a mobile app because they are hot right now. It is to impact your business and provide a return on investment.

Remember these four questions when considering to build your mobile app for your business:

Would it be beneficial to have 24/7 access to my customer’s ear?

Is there an aspect of the app that would draw customers into the app on a somewhat frequent basis?